Leased lines have become a must-have for UK businesses that rely on secure, high-performance internet connectivity. But if you’ve started gathering quotes, you’ll know there’s more to the price than just the monthly fee.
From installation charges to hardware, SLAs, and speed options, understanding the full cost structure can help you avoid surprises and choose the right leased line solution.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
- What you’re paying for in a leased line
- One-time vs monthly costs
- SLAs and what they’re really worth
- Hardware and support considerations
- Provider pricing examples
- How to get the best value for your money!
💡 What Is a Leased Line?
A leased line is a private internet connection for you and you alone, delivered via fibre optic cable. Unlike broadband, it’s not shared with others, offers symmetrical speeds, and is backed by a SLAs
Perfect for:
- VoIP and video calls
- Cloud-based applications
- Secure data transfers
- Multi-site connectivity
- High-volume file uploads/downloads
🧾 What Makes Up the Cost of a Leased Line?
cost area | Description |
monthly rental | Ongoing fee based on bandwidth, contract length, and location |
installation | One-off setup charge – may be waived for longer contracts |
hardware | Routers, firewalls or CPE equipment – sometimes included |
slas & support | Included in the price, affects repair times and uptime guarantees |
bandwidth upgrades | Some lines are scalable – upgrades may come at a fee |
💷 Leased Line Pricing: Monthly Rental Costs
Speed | Typical Monthly Cost (36-month term) |
100Mbps | £200–£300/month |
500Mbps | £350–£450/month |
1Gbps | £450–£700/month |
10Gbps | From £1,000/month (location dependent) |
📌 Prices vary based on location, distance from infrastructure, provider, and contract term. Longer contracts (36+ months) are significantly cheaper per month.
🏗 Installation Costs
Installation costs depend on whether your building is already connected to the provider’s network (on-net) or not (off-net).
Type | Typical Cost | Notes |
On-Net (connected) | £0–£500 | Often waived with 36-month terms |
Off-Net (new build required) | £1,000–£5,000+ | Subject to site survey and Excess Construction Charges (ECCs) |
Government Voucher Support | Up to £2,500 | May cover installation through Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme |
Always ask for a pre-contract survey to assess potential ECCs before signing!!
💻 Hardware Costs: What’s Included?
Most leased line providers include or offer optional hardware:
Hardware | Included? | Notes |
Business Router | ✅ Often included | Pre-configured, supports static IPs and VPNs |
Firewall | ❌ Usually extra | Enterprise-level security features |
Managed Switches | ❌ Optional | Needed for internal network expansion |
UPS/Power Backup | ❌ Not standard | Advised for critical uptime environments |
If using a “wires-only” service, you’ll need to supply your own compatible router/firewall.
🔐 SLA Costs & Value
Leased lines come with SLAs that define:
- Uptime guarantees (e.g., 99.9% or 99.999%)
- Target fix times (usually 4–6 business hours)
- Performance metrics like latency and jitter
- Compensation for downtime
Better SLAs = higher reliability but may increase the monthly cost.
SLA Uptime | Target Fix Time | Included With |
99.9% | 6 hours | Basic plans |
99.99% | 4 hours | Business-grade plans |
99.999% | 2–4 hours | Premium or enterprise SLAs |
📌 Always check if your SLA includes proactive monitoring and UK-based 24/7 support.
🏢 Leased Line Provider Comparison
| Provider | Redundancy options | Dual carrier Support? | From |
| Diverse routing, dual links | Yes | £399 + redundancy |
| Dual-site connectivity | Yes | £400 + |
| Separate routes, SD-WAN | Yes | £450 + |
| Active-passive options | Limited | £300 + |
| Multi-site and resilient WAN | Yes | £375 + |
📊 Contract Lengths & Cost Implications
🧠 Tips to Get the Best Value
- Shop around – Prices vary between providers, especially in rural vs urban areas
- Check for voucher eligibility – The UK government’s Gigabit Voucher Scheme may reduce install costs
- Ask for scalability – Choose providers that let you upgrade bandwidth without penalties
- Assess SLA terms – Don’t just focus on speed; reliability matters more
- Look for bundled extras – Some providers include free VoIP, static IPs or backup lines
📈 Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?
A leased line is an investment in your business’s performance, productivity, and security. While it may seem costly upfront, it offers:
- Consistent, symmetrical internet speeds
- High uptime backed by enforceable SLAs
- Enhanced security for sensitive data
- Long-term scalability for growing teams
By understanding what makes up the cost )and comparing providers carefully) you can ensure you’re getting excellent value for money in 2025 and beyond.